2017

commentary

U.S. Striking Just the Right Balance with Vietnam in South China Sea

The Trump administration has seized upon positive momentum from the Obama administration to elevate U.S.-Vietnam defense cooperation to new heights.

Derek Grossman @DerekJGrossman

commentary

Fighting Poverty with Taxes

As the debate over tax reform continues, finding ways to help the most disadvantaged segment of the population should be considered. Expanding the Earned Income Tax Credit and outreach to low-income populations could increase incentive to file or promote awareness about benefits and generate positive impacts in the longer term.

Patricia K. Tong

commentary

Does the Annual Growth Survey Actually Make a Difference to EU Member States?

Much of the European Union (EU) budget follows Annual Growth Survey (AGS) priorities, but member states' budgets do not necessarily follow the country-specific recommendations. Doing so and addressing wider concerns about the AGS could help the EU and member states identify the benefits of the AGS.

Jirka Taylor, Marco Hafner

commentary

Discipline Disparities and Discrimination in Schools

In the United States, black and poor students are suspended at much higher rates than their white and non-poor peers. While the existence of these disparities is not controversial, how to interpret the disparities is bitterly disputed.

Nathan Barrett, Andrew McEachin, et al.

commentary

Drones Could Deliver Change to Africa

Drones could transform Africa's urban and rural infrastructure and enhance its agricultural productivity. But deployment of drones on the continent faces technological, economic, social, and legal, and regulatory challenges.

Shira Efron

commentary

Broken Border or Broken Policy?

What does a secure land border look like? The U.S. government's inability to provide an answer has trapped America in a vicious cycle. Every decade, the perception that the U.S.-Mexico border isn't secure enough leads to big investments—with mixed results.

Blas Nunez-Neto

commentary

Why a Lack of STEM Teachers Could Jeopardise the Canada 2067 Vision

The future of STEM learning depends heavily on a strong STEM teaching workforce. But education systems around the world face significant challenges attracting, training, and keeping STEM teachers.

Julie Belanger

commentary

How Hot Is Too Hot? Rising Temperatures and the Workplace

Climate change is here. Future extreme heat waves are a given and will likely grow in intensity, geographic reach, and duration. Plans must be made now to ensure survival of the poorest, to protect outdoor workers, and to adapt economic planning to what is increasingly becoming a hotter planet.

Gulrez Shah Azhar

commentary

America Is Great at Fighting Terrorism, but Terror Is Alive and Well

When terrorists adopt a strategy of pure terror, it's hard to prevent attacks like those in Nice, Columbus, London, Barcelona, or New York. Instead, strategies are needed to counter terrorism's ultimate aim—to instill fear—and to remove some of the incentives of potential attackers.

Henry H. Willis @HenryHWillis

commentary

Can Vaping Help Smokers Quit? The Real Story from a Real Story

Evidence doesn't support using electronic cigarettes to quit smoking. In fact, doing so could even lead to reduced chances of quitting. Evidence does show that other options work, such as nicotine replacement patches or gum combined with counseling strategies.

William G. Shadel

commentary

It's Time for the International Community to Get Serious About Vulnerability Equities

Multiple countries around the world are likely discovering, retaining and exploiting zero-day vulnerabilities without a process to properly consider the trade-offs. This needs to change. It’s time for the international community to get serious about vulnerability equities.

Kate Charlet, Sasha Romanosky, et al.

commentary

Why Africa Could Provide an 'ISIS Renaissance'

ISIS has been one of the most formidable and well-organized terrorist groups in history and it would be naive to assume that ISIS will simply cease operations in the face of recent losses. More likely, the group, along with its many followers, will attempt to disperse to a new base, and parts of Africa are likely targets for a new caliphate.

Antonia Ward

commentary

The Future of Counterterrorism Efforts in Syria

It is time for the U.S.-led coalition to figure out what its next counterterrorism steps should be, even as it continues to work toward stabilizing the country and navigating the path toward a political settlement with the other major powers involved.

Colin P. Clarke

blog

Exploring Trust, Leadership, and 'Analytic Courage'

Leaders in business, government, academia, and philanthropy gathered at RAND's headquarters in Santa Monica to pay tribute to the seven-decade relationship between RAND and the U.S. Air Force. Panelists discussed the importance of trusted advice to inform national security descisonmaking.

commentary

How NATO Could Accidentally Trigger a War with Russia

An increased NATO presence in the Baltics could lead Russia to feel a motivation for an invasion. U.S. and NATO deployments in the region should avoid this risk by taking seriously Russian beliefs about NATO capabilities in planning future deployments, and by pursuing transparency and negotiation in future deployments in the Baltic region.

Andrew Radin @andrewmradin